


Promises

by RioRiley



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Ending, Amputation, Happy Ending, Hurt Dean Winchester, Permanent Injury, Protective Dean Winchester, Protective Sam Winchester
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-07
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-13 02:53:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,051
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29271300
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RioRiley/pseuds/RioRiley
Summary: Instead of becoming a shish kabob in the barn that night, the Vampire cuts off Dean Winchesters legs. Sam helps him navigate the rest of their lives.
Kudos: 13





	1. Chapter 1

Dean Winchester, the hero who saved the world on multiple occasions, and killed monsters that most people don't even know exist, isn't about to let a fucking vampire be the death of him. But it comes close. It might as well have killed him, and in all honesty, the vampire killed the biggest part of him.

It's the scariest thing that Sam has ever seen in his life. Dean was getting the last vampire that night and Sam watched as the vampire shoved Dean, narrowly avoiding turning him into a rebar shish kabob. It all goes down in a split second as Sam moves to act as backup and cut off the head. Dean moves for the vampires head with a large machete, and in the time it takes Sam to blink, the vampire has grabbed the machete from Dean, and with full force, swung it, straight through Dean's left leg, the knife stopping in the middle of his right knee, as the vampires head topples to the ground. 

Dean can't help the tortured scream that is ripped from his lungs.

Dean and the vampire hit the ground at the same time. 

"Sammy!" Dean screams at the top of his lungs in pain. 

"Oh fuck." Sam says softly. 

Sam blinks twice hoping to God that he's imagining things but Dean is on the ground writhing in pain, clutching his legs and screaming. Dean leans over and throws up while still clutching his legs.

Sam wants to throw up. 

Now is not the time.

He falls to his knees next to Dean, absolutely terrified looking at Dean's left leg which lays about three feet away from them. 

"Oh fuck Dean." Sam says softly. Dean's nodding, in so much pain that he can not speak. 

"Sammy help me…" Dean cries out. "Please don't leave."

"Hey. I've got you. I promise I'm not going anywhere." Sam says softly. 

Sam is frantic. He takes off his flannel, and wraps it around the end of Dean's left leg, holding it tight. Dean's scream sounds closer to a howl upon contact. The sound makes Sam wince but he knows he needs to be strong.

"Dean I'm taking you to the hospital. It's going to hurt. I won't lie to you. But I need to get you to the hospital and I think I can get you there faster than waiting for an ambulance." Sam says. Dean nods.

Sam picks Dean up bridal style, and grabs the leg. His shoe is still on. Sam hates himself for it, and time will tell that Dean never remembers the moment, but Sam makes Dean carry the leg. He doesn't even think about it. He just picks Dean up and knows he needs to bring the leg but doesn't want to make two trips to the impala. Sam is gentle with Dean, sets him down softly in the passenger seat jumbling both of their coats under him to raise his legs, buckling his seatbelt for him and climbing into the driver's seat, before peeling out of the gravel and onto the highway towards the nearest hospital according to his gps.

He looks over at Dean as his eyes start to droop. 

"You have to stay awake." Sam says urgently. There is blood pooling at the floor of the impala.

"You're not exactly entertaining me." Dean says, forcing a smile.

"Are you feeling okay?" Sam asks. 

"No." Dean says. "Hurts." He admits.

"Dean, you have to stay awake for me. Please don't fall asleep. I can't lose you." Sam says softly. He grabs his brother's hand. "I know it hurts Dean and you can squeeze my hand if you need to. Just don't fall asleep." 

"I won't leave you Sam." Dean says softly.

"Good, because I can't do this without you." Sam says louder, hoping maybe his volume can contribute to keeping Dean awake.

"Yes you can." Dean says softly.

"Yeah, well I don't want to." Sam says louder.

"Okay Sam." Dean says. Sam knows that's his best effort at a promise.

Sam speeds down the roads and turns quickly into the hospital parking lot.

"Dean when they ask, tell them it was a hiking accident. That we were hiking and you stepped in a bear trap or something okay?" Sam says. Dean nods. 

If Dean was the one driving, he would have parked in the ambulance parking to bring Sam in. But Sam has an ounce of morals about it, and instead parks in the closest parking spot, only three stalls back. Sam parks the impala haphazardly, and knows it's not parked straight and might even be crossing into the next stall but he doesn't give a shit. He opens Dean's door quickly and carries him, the leg, again, resting in Dean's lap. Sam goes as fast as he can carrying his brother inside.

"My brother needs help!" Sam screams as soon as he gets through the doors.

The woman at the reception desk looks alarmed at Sam, his blood soaked clothes and all but passes out when she sees Dean's leg resting in his lap. She pushes a red button that notifies the emergency team.

"I need a gurney out front now!!! Prep the surgical theater." She yells loudly. It's less than twenty seconds before nurses have a gurney to them and Dean is laying on their bed. Another nurse carries Dean's left leg.

"Sammy please don't leave." Dean says nearly incoherently.

"Dean, I can't come with you. They're going to help you and I swear that I'll be there as soon as they let me. I promise." Sam says. He grips Dean's hand tightly and let's go as the nurses hurriedly rush him behind closed doors.

Sam is still standing in front of the doors, when he falls to his knees and weeps. His head in his hands. The receptionist comes around to him, squatting beside him, and puts a hand on his shoulder. She's a kind woman. She can't be old enough to even drink, and Sam knows tonight will be on her list of nights she won't forget.

"Hey. They are going to be back there with him for a while. He's going to need emergency surgery I'm sure, but the doctors here are really great and I promise they will take care of him. We have some sweatpants and a t-shirt in the storage closet. Can I go grab those for you to change into, and clean yourself up a bit before you fill out some paperwork for me?" She asks.

Sam nods his head, and she offers him her hand to help him to stand. "What's your name?" She asks softly. 

"Sam." He says gently. 

"Okay Sam. Let's go get you cleaned up." She says gently. "Is the man you came in with your friend?" She asks.

Sam is too deep in shock to consider needing to use an alibi. "He's my brother. His name is Dean." Sam says softly. The receptionist puts her hand on Sam's back and leads him to an empty examination room.

"Okay Sam. I'll be right back with some clean clothes for you, and I can have someone wash your clothes. Dean is going to be okay. I promise." Sam knows it's almost foolish for her to promise something like that. She's back within five minutes with sweatpants that barely come to Sam's ankles but he doesn't care. At least they aren't soaked in his brother's blood. Sam walks back out to the waiting room,and sits. He's alone now.

Sam prays in the waiting room. He doesn't know who to. Cas is gone, and so is Chuck, and he doesn't feel like Jack really listens but he's trying everything, pleading that Dean will be okay. Begging that the doctors can reattach his leg. He knows that's a stretch. He knows the bones in the left leg were shattered, but deep down he just hopes they can salvage the right leg. He thinks Dean can move on with one prosthetic, but he really doesn't think he would be able to make it with two. He doesn't think Dean would want to live a life without either of his legs. He knows that Dean would rather die, and knows that if they have to take both legs Sam is going to spend the next few years on suicide watch.

Sam is scared shitless of what Dean will be like when he wakes up, regardless of what happens in surgery. He's full of regret, wondering what he should have done differently to protect his brother, and he's scared that Dean will hate him for bringing him to the hospital, that he will hate him for not letting him die in the barn. He knows Dean would rather go down swinging than deal with any of this.

The receptionist hands him a pad of paperwork. Sam puts in Bobby Singer's old banking information. They had kept money in his account for a rainy day, and Sam knows this is that time. He can't do insurance fraud on medical bills that he knows full well will pass a hundred grand. 

Sam watches another nurse enter the waiting room. There is bright red blood splattered on green scrubs and Sam knows deep down that's Dean's blood. And the look the nurse is giving him makes Sam well aware things aren't good. He has the sudden deep fear that maybe Dean didn't make it. There's a lot of blood, and Dean bled a lot earlier and shit, he can't live without his brother. If Dean's gone, he's going to find a way to die right alongside him.

"You're Dean's brother correct?" The nurse asks, pulling a chair next to Sam. It's been four hours since Sam brought Dean into the emergency room. 

"Is he alive?" Sam asks quickly.

"Yes. He's alive. We have him in a recovery room now. Sam we need to talk about the surgery. I need to prepare you for what to expect, and I think it would be best if you are there when he wakes up, so that he can have your support." The nurse says.

"Sam, I'm sure you know that Dean lost a lot of blood." Sam nods. "And the damage to his left leg wasn't compatible with reattaching the residual limb." The nurse says. Sam takes a deep breath. 

"What about his right leg?" Sam asks.

"We couldn't save it either." The nurse says. Sam starts to shake. "We tried Sam. The problem was with the damage to his arteries and nerves, and we need you to understand that you did everything you could have done to help him. None of this is on you. The bones in his right leg were shattered in pieces not much bigger than rice. If we had left the right leg, Dean wouldn't have any chance of walking, and the nerve damage pain would have been unbearable." 

The nausea Sam felt earlier comes back full force at the knowledge that both of Dean's legs are gone. The receptionist is familiar with the nauseated expression and is in front of Sam with a trash can just in time for him to vomit into it. She sits on the opposite side of him and rubs his back as the nurse continues explaining the situation.

"Where are they cut off at?" Sam asks softly.

"The left leg is cut about six inches above the knee, mid thigh, and the right leg is about two inches above the knee. We tried to salvage as much as possible to make using a prosthetic easier for Dean." The nurse says.

"Is he going to be able to walk?" Sam asks.

"With time. It will be a long time.". The nurse says softly.

"What about driving?" Sam asks softly.

"Driving will be harder for him, but it's possible." The nurse says. Sam nods. He's losing hope with every word from the nurses mouth.

"Thank you for trying. I know you tried." Sam says. "Can I see him now?" He asks. The nurse nods.

“He is under a lot of pain medications to keep him comfortable, so he might not be lucid right now, but he should start to wake up within a half an hour. Please push the call button when he wakes up so that we can send someone in to explain everything to him.” The nurse advises. He leads Sam to Dean's hospital room, and the receptionist follows behind him, using the entirety of her lunch break to keep Sam company. The nurse opens Dean’s door, and pats Sam’s shoulder as a signal for him to enter. The receptionist, more empathetic, hugs Sam before he goes in.

“Sam, I know it doesn't seem like there is anything you can do to help him, but I guarantee all Dean really needs or wants is you.” The receptionist says softly. Sam nods, and thanks her for being kind to him.

Sam walks inside and his breath hitches seeing his brother. He looks so small and vulnerable in comparison even to how he looked this morning in the motel. Sam is scared, looking at the eerily flat blankets where his brother's legs are meant to be. It looks wrong. It doesn't look like his brother. But, the face resting on the pillow, pale, hooked up to an oxygen mask, is definitely Dean. Sam wishes this was all a nightmare.

Sam sits down next to Dean in a small and hard plastic chair, and grabs Dean's hand. Dean doesn't so much as flinch, for almost an hour. Sam is tired, and is starting to nod off, when he feels Deans hand twitch. Sam’s eyes open wide, watching as Dean starts to stir. Sam's grip tightens, watching as Dean's eyes open.

“Sammy?” Dean says tiredly.

“Hey. Dean, I'm right here. Do you know where you are?” Sam says softly.

“Hospi’al” Dean says quietly.

“Do you know why you're here?” Sam asks.

“Uh, hiking accident right?” Dean says questionably. Sam smiles.

“Fuck, yeah. I love you.” Sam laughs. “Are you feeling okay?” Sam asks. Dean shakes his head.

“Hurts.” Dean says softly. Without the substantial drugs and trauma, Dean would never admit to being in pain to Sam.

“Where?” Sam asks.

“Knees.” Dean says. 

Sam’s heart drops. Dean adjusts himself, trying to sit up, and pauses when he's sitting up more. He had expected at the very worst that his left leg would be gone and the right would be covered in a thick cast.

“Sam, where the fuck are my legs?” Dean asks, looking at Sam like Sam stole them from him. Sam grabs Dean’s hand. He’s shaking. His entire body, or what's left of it, is trembling. Sam watches as his breathing gets heavier, and his eyes start to water.

Dean Winchester, never cries.

Sam stands up, and sits down in the small space beside Dean in the hospital bed, careful to sit gently, and not cause Dean any more pain than he is already in. He sits down next to Dean, and as soon as he's sitting, Dean wraps his arms around him tightly, sobbing into his little brother's chest.

“Sammy, what the hell did they do to me?” He asks through tears.

“Dean I promise you they tried their best to save your legs. I promise. I asked them, and made sure they tried everything but if they had left them on, you wouldn't have had any chance at making it.” Sam says. Deans breathing continues hard and fast.

“You're going to be okay Dean.” Sam says confidently. “I promise. And I know you're kinda far from okay right now but I promise you'll get there and i'll be there for all of it. I'm not going anywhere.” Sam says. Dean continues to cry into the hospital t-shirt. Sam rubs his back, trying everything he can come up with to comfort his brother, not knowing how in the hell he will ever be able to fix his brother. Not knowing if it's even possible to fix this. 

Sam waits for Dean to calm down before he pushes the call button so the nurses know Dean is awake. When the nurse comes in, Sam asks Dean if he wants him to move back to the chair next to the bed and Dean shakes his head. The nurse, who isn't one of the ones Sam saw earlier explains the injuries to Dean, who isn't really listening. When the nurse moves the blankets to reveal Dean's stumps, wrapped in perfectly white bandages and revealing the bags attached to each one to drain fluid, Dean buries his head in Sam's shoulder, refusing to look. Sam doesn't look either. It feels wrong to see the damage before Dean does.

It’s two days before Dean is willing to look at his legs. A nurse is in the room, to change the bandages, and clean the wounds. Sam, in his stationary place on the bed, doesn’t expect Dean to look at the wounds this time either, but the pain he feels from the nurse taking off the bandages for the first time, is enough for his head to snap from Sam’s shoulder, in protest. He all but yelps at the horrid feeling that comes from the young nurse gently removing the bandages. The nurse pauses once she notices that Dean is looking.

Sam helps Dean sit up, raising the back of the bed to support Dean. They both look then. His legs, or what's left of them, are bruised. And at the end is a perfectly formed suture, neat, with straight stitches. The stitches are caked in some residual blood, that the nurse is set to clean up. When she ultimately does, Dean buries his head back into Sam’s shoulder, his breathing heavy at the pain from the nurse using the antiseptic on his leg. Sam is worried that Dean just might pass out from the pain. The nurse acknowledges Dean, setting up some stronger pain killers into his iv, before she goes to re-wrap Dean's legs. After she's wrapped them, Dean is quite honestly exhausted from all the pain. Sam stays on the bed, and Dean sleeps, leaning against his little brother's shoulder. 

That night, Sam ventures down to the hospital cafeteria, and finds a piece of apple pie from the chef in the cafeteria. He brings it up to Dean, and Sam sees his brother smile for the first time in the hospital. 

"Thanks Sammy." Dean says after finishing the last nite of pie. 

"Anything to make you feel better Dean. Pie has always work led better for you than any pain meds." Sam smiles.

On day four, Dean starts using a wheelchair. It's his only option for now as far as mobility goes and he hates it, but also understands the doctors aren't kidding when they tell him he won't be able to walk on a prosthetic for at least a year. Dean has never used a wheelchair before. He always thought they were the sissy way of going through an injury, but without legs to balance his weight on, using a wheelchair is actually pretty hard. The wheelchair the hospital provides for him has a buckle across the chest, to prevent Dean from falling forward. Dean hates that he needs it. He hates that he doesn't even argue when the nurse snaps the buckle the first time.

He's surprised at how tired he is after wheeling himself around the hospital hall. And he hates, a little, not really, but Sam follows close behind Dean, and he had the biggest, proudest smile on his face. And it makes Dean feel so ashamed that this is where he is in his life. They make it to the opposite end of the floor and Dean is exhausted and Sam knows it. The nurse looks at Dean sympathetically.

"Would you like me to push you back to your room now? You've done a great job today." She says, trying to fake extra positivity. Dean looks at her defeatedly knowing he doesn't want some young nurse to push his chair but also understanding he doesn't have the energy to do it himself. Sam puts his hand on Dean's shoulder.

"Hey, I can take you back." Sam says softly. Dean nods, and the nurse turns the opposite way, leaving the brothers alone in the hallway. Sam kneels down in front of Dean, meeting him at eye level.

"Are you doing okay?" Sam asks softly. He watches Dean take in a deep breath and nod. "You can be honest Dean." 

"I just want to go home." Dean says softly. Sam nods.

"Your doctor said we could get you outta here on Monday." Sam says hopefully.

"Yeah but where are we going to go?" Dean asks. They both know the bunker isn't anywhere near wheelchair accessible.

"We can get a motel for a little while, and maybe we will just move into Bobby's house. We have options Dean. You'll be okay." Sam says. Dean nods.

"I hate this Sammy. I hate knowing that I'm broken. I can't do any of the things I've done my whole life." Dean says. 

"You don't have to Dean. We've done our fair share of hunting. You don't need to save the world anymore. But we can still help. We can do research if you want to." Sam says, rambling.

"I just want to go back to normal." Dean says. 

"I know." Sam says softly. "You're going to be okay Dean."

"Not really. Never like I used to be." Dean says softly.

"That's okay Dean. You're strong and you can get through this." Sam says.

Dean rolls his eyes. "Back off Sam. I don't need a motivational speech. And I don't want your help." 

"Alright fine." Sam says. "You don't want me here? I'll leave Dean." He starts walking back to Deans room. Dean starts after him, but within twenty feet his arm muscles are shaking. 

"Sam. I didn't mean it." Dean says. Sam stops, looks behind him and can see Dean's exhausted muscles twitching. "I don't want your help. But I know I need it. I've never been someone who let's anyone do things for me and it's hard adjusting to needing everything from other people. I can't even piss by myself Sam. I feel like I can't do anything and I hate it."

"I know this is hard Dean." Sam says softly. "And I don't want to have to help you either. I wish I didn't have to and I wish you could do everything for yourself but I'm not going to let some stranger manhandle you, because I feel like you'd rather have me helping you than some little girl fresh out of nursing school." Sam says, anxiously.

"Come here Sam." Dean says softly. Sam kneels down and Dean hugs him tightly. "Sam I'm sorry. I know you're trying your hardest to make all this easier for me and I'm thankful." Dean takes a deep breath. "I know this is hard on you too. And I couldn't get through this without you."

Sam grabs Dean's shoulder and gives him another quick hug before pushing Dean back to his room.

After that, Dean puts all of his energy into learning how to use the wheelchair. The nurses show him how to use a ramp, and how to use a board to get from his chair into a bed or into a car. A male nurse helps him figure out how to transfer from his wheelchair to the toilet, and Dean, figures out how in the hell to piss while sitting. They show him how to get in and out of the shower, which Dean hates. He hates sitting in the shower. He hates, constantly sitting. 

Two weeks after the accident, Dean wakes up in the middle of the night, panting. He's in unbearable pain. Sam is there, and he's looking at his brother, scared.

"Hey. Dean. Talk to me." Sam says softly.

"It hurts Sam." Dean says softly.

"Hey. Okay. We can fix that. I'll call the nurse and have them adjust your meds. You'll be okay Dean." Sam says, once again trying to fix everything.

"Sam my legs. My legs hurt. My feet hurt. My legs hurt in places I know I didn't my have anymore." Dean says. He's sweating now. Sam knew about the idea of phantom pain, but he had hoped Dean would be spared of that torture. He should have known better he supposes. 

"Hey. I'll call the nurse." Sam assures him. Dean is crying now. "You're going to be okay Dean."

"I feel so fucking stupid." He yells. Sam is sure the nurses will have heard him. 

"You're not Dean." Sam assures him. " This sucks but it's normal. You're not crazy." Sam says.

Dean starts to shake.

"Dean. You're my hero. You're so strong. And you can get through this. I'll help you. I'm not going anywhere, remember?" Sam says. Dean nods. He hurts so bad he thinks he might throw up.

Sam sits in front of Dean, in the space of the bed that should clearly be occupied by Dean's legs. Sam sits there trying to help Dean's mind remember that his legs aren't there anymore. Sam sits in front of Dean, and pushes the nurse call button. He grabs his brother and pulls him into his chest. Dean sits and shakes and cries. The nurse comes in quickly, and gives Dean enough percocet to fall asleep.

Three weeks after the accident, they let Dean go home. Sam drives the impala, and it's the first time Dean has gotten to take a ride since he got hurt. Sam has the car detail cleaned so there is no trace of the mess that was made that night in the car. Dean gets into the passenger seat, well aware that the chances of him driving his baby ever again are slim to none. Sam brings them back to Bobby's house. It still has some stairs at the front of the house, but out of all the places they have access to, this will be the easiest for Dean to navigate. Dean isn't even surprised when they pull up and he sees that Sam has paid to have a wheelchair ramp installed at the front of the house. 

Sam opens Dean's door, and sets the wheelchair outside the door, putting Dean's board on the chair, and on the passenger seat. Dean slides into the board, and then onto the wheelchair, which Dean acknowledges Sam has outfitted with a memory foam pillow. Dean appreciates it. He knows his brother cares. He pushes himself up to the house, and up the ramp, and inside. It's comfortable in Bobby's house. It's comforting to be there, in a familiar place, that smells like home instead of antiseptic. Dean does acknowledge the vague scent of bleach and knows Sam has cleaned up a little bit. But it's better than the smell of the hospital.

Dean gets inside, and into the living room. He uses his board, and transfers himself into the Lazy-Boy in front of the TV. He doesn't care to watch the tv, he just wants to relax. He just wants to feel normal. 

Sam sits next to him.

"Want a beer?" Sam asks. Dean smiles.

"Thought you'd never ask." Dean says laughing. Sam goes to Bobby's old fridge and grabs two of the beers off the bottom shelf, bringing them back into the living room to Dean.

"Where's yours?" Dean asks with a laugh.

"I figured you'd only want one but if you want both I can go grab myself another." Sam says defensively.

"Hey, Sammy, I was just kidding. Sorry." Dean says.

Sam takes a sigh of relief.

"Thanks for everything you've done for me with this. And everything else too." Dean says. Sam nods. "Thanks for staying." 

"I told you I wouldn't leave." Sam says. "I'm not about to break a promise to you."

Dean gets better. The comes a point when he starts flirting again. Sam takes him to a local diner for a bacon cheeseburger, and Dean talks to the waitress just like he did before. He figures out that he's good looking enough that most girls point blank don't care that he's missing both his legs.

About six months after the accident, Sam takes Dean for his first prosthetic fitting. It's a warmer day, and they drive the impala with the windows down all the way to the fitting. Dean looks excited. This is the start of his m being able to live a more normal life and he is pumped. Sam is excited too. He couldn't possibly be more proud of his brother.

They pull up to a decently sized office and park in the front. Dean grabs his own wheelchair from the backseat, and sets it up with his board himself. He's stronger now. He has a lot more endurance and can push himself for hours in the chair without needing breaks anymore or ever having to ask Sam to push him. He's made a lot of progress. They get into the office, ten minutes early for their appointment, and a nurse leads them back to see the prosthetic doctor, Dr. Lange. He shakes Dean's hand, and instructs Dean to move his shorts so that he can examine the incisions. They're healed now.

The doctor is more forceful than anyone has ever been with Deans stumps. He likes and prods around the scar, fidgeting with the residual muscle, and Dean is fine. He flinches a few times but he's okay. It's not until the doctor locates and puts pressure on the end of what's left of Dean's femur, and Dean screams. It makes Sam jump. He glares at the doctor and then looks concerned at Dean.

"There is a lot of nerve damage." The doctor says simply. "You'll be able to get used to the feeling of having pressure on your legs. But it will take a lot of time and effort on your part." He states. "I'm going to run some scans, to get an exact fit for a prosthetic, but for today I think I'll have you practice on a generalized prosthetic, just to test things out." 

He grabs a few things from a closet, and puts them onto Dean's legs. The first looks like a silicone sock, and the second looks a lot like the first but it's made from gel and the doctor insists it will make things more comfortable and mentions that it was designed for a dolphin down in Florida, which Sam thinks is pretty cool. 

"I'm going to start you out on a prosthetic that doesn't have a knee component. You won't be able to bend your legs, but it will be easier for you to learn on." The doctor explains. He shows Sam and Dean the legs. They look like an attempt at realism, but not a successful attempt. The doctor shows them how to put shoes on the end of it, and straps on a pair of dad Nikes that the hospital keeps around but explains they can put on whatever shoes they want. Then he helps Dean put the legs on. 

"Sam, do you want to stand in front of him, and help him stand up?" The doctor asks. Sam looks to Dean, who nods in approval. Sam stands right in front of Dean and holds his arms out.

"You're going to grab him right underneath his armpits, and you'll have to pull him into a standing position." The doctor instructs.

Sam nods, and looks at Dean.

"You ready for this?" Sam asks. Dean nods and Sam places his hands underneath Dean's armpits, while Dean grabs around Sam's shoulders. Sam pulls Dean up, and feels his heart start to race. But then, Dean is standing. 

"Sam, don't let go of him. Dean, you're going to try and swing your legs forward. It might hurt a little, and Sam will move with you okay?" The doctor says. Dean nods, determined. 

He swings his right leg forward, and then his left.

Dean was there for Sam's first steps, and in a way, Sam is there for Dean's too.

Dean takes about ten steps before the doctor comes behind him with the chair, and helps him to sit back down.

"It's very important that you don't over do it on your legs. Walking on them for too long can cause the sort of damage that will make it impossible for you to ever use a prosthetic." The doctor says. Sam nods.

"So when do I get my own set, with knees?" Dean asks.

"Three weeks. I have a catalog here so that you can pick out what you want." The doctor hands Sam and Dean a pamphlet and they start browsing through the prosthetics. "The sets including knees will start on page fifteen."

They look through the book, at all the different options. Legs that will make it possible for Dean to run, on even terrain, and legs that make it look like Dean has real legs, complete with leg hair and hand painted veins and everything. Dean settles on a set of legs that can get him around day to day, understanding there is no point in getting the running pair considering the places Dean runs are never level. There's no point in spending all that money on something that won't work. Dean just accepts the fact, that his days of hunting are over now. 

For the first time ever, that's okay.

"Can you make the legs a little longer than mine were so that I'm taller than my little brother here?" Dean asks. Sam laughs. It's genuine.

"Yeah. We can do that Mr. Winchester." The doctor says.

Sam and Dean stop actively hunting after that. They settle down at Bobby's house, and when other hunters call for help, they give all the help they can over the phone through research. For the most part though, they just law low. Living a nice, quiet life. 

Dean gets good enough at walking on the prosthetics that the average person wouldn't even notice his limp. 

And Sam, he couldn't possibly be more proud of his brother. 

They stay together, until the end. Dean is in his late sixties when he has the heart attack that finally kills him. Sam calls up a couple of the younger hunters they had been mentoring to help him move Dean out to the field. Sam burns his body, gives him the hunters burial he deserves. Sam, dies in his sleep a couple days later. The new hunters burn Sam right where they had burned Dean days before.

When Sam's eyes open, he and Dean are back in the impala. Young again. Dean is driving, his legs are there, Kansas is blowing through the stereo, and everything feels right in the world again.

"Hey Sammy." Dean says with a smile. He pulls off to the side of the wooded highway and hugs his brother tight. They drive to Ellen's place, and everyone they have ever known is there. Ellen and Jo, Charly. The reunion with her is especially sweet. Eileen is there. So is Jessica. And Lisa. Garth is there too. Even Crowley has his spot in their heaven. There are quite a few women but this doesn't come as a shock to anyone. They've just had a lot of valuable friendships. Their parents are sat at the counter. So are Rufus and Bobby. They all hug. It's warm and they feel at peace. 

"You are one tough son of a bitch Dean. I'm proud of you." Their dad says with a smile.

"No way he could have lasted as long without Sammy." Their mom says proudly.

" You both did a great job down there. You should be so proud of yourselves. Hell. I couldn't be more proud of you idgits myself." Bobby smiles. Dean looks around the bar and Bobby smiles.

"He's in the back over there. Been waiting a long time to see the two of you." Bobby smiles. He hugs Sam and Dean. Sam and Dean walk to a booth in the back with Castiel. Cas smiles when he sees them.

"It's been a long time Cas." Dean smiles.

The three of them hug and finally they can rest.


	2. Chapter 2

Updated first chapter.

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry it's been a while since I wrote anything. College is hard. My emotions thrive on comments so please leave one so that maybe the emo will rise enough to go to class... Ya feel


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